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In this edition:
- Message from Jofa
- Jofa and Maharat Israel Solidarity Mission, January 8-10, 2024:
Attend In Person or In Spirit
- Upcoming Event
- Women's Voices
- Staying Strong and Hopeful for Israel
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Divrei Torah by Women on Parshat Miketz
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Message from Jofa
Friends,
Hanukkah brought the welcome light of both historic and modern-day hope, miracles, and heroism, along with meaningful opportunities to engage in Torah learning, chesed, and togetherness.
As we turn to the month of Tevet, we are seeking ways forward -- as we continue to push for the hostages' release, and to pray for the safety of the IDF and all Israelis, while also responding to the war's unique impacts on women in Israel, including emergency needs and the trauma of gender-based violence.
Although it has now been more than two months since October 7, our attention to the needs in Israel must remain strong. This is why we continue to share resources and ways to help every week -- in this email, on our website, and in our social media posts. Please use and share these resources, to help inform and strengthen ourselves, each other, and Am Yisrael.
Chodesh Tov ~ Besorot Tovot Yeshuot V'nechamot.
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Jofa and Yeshivat Maharat Israel Solidarity Mission, January 8-10, 2024: Traveling to Israel now, to visit with Israelis, hear their stories, and do chesed on the ground, is a powerful way to meet this moment. Please consider joining the Jofa and Yeshivat Maharat Solidarity Mission to Israel, taking place from midday Monday, January 8, through Wednesday evening, January 10, 2024. The mission will include on-the-ground visiting, volunteering, and learning initiatives, supporting women, evacuees, female soldiers, and all of Am Yisrael at this critical time. Help us bring chizuk to our Israeli friends and family!
The mission is open to women and men of all religious backgrounds. Additional details and registration information available at jofa.org/israel-mission. Please contact us at jofa@jofa.org with any further questions. We hope that you will consider joining our robust group for this meaningful and substantive way to show your support and solidarity.
|  | Join the Israel Mission In Spirit: If you can't join the mission in Israel, but would still like to do something to participate, please consider sponsoring a BBQ that we will be hosting for chayalot on a base in the Negev, on Tuesday, January 9. See graphic above for more information; click here to sponsor. |  | |
The War's Impact on Women in Israel, Tuesday, December 19, 1-2PM EST, Online: Join Jofa, together with The Hadassah Foundation and numerous partners, for a virtual program on the immediate needs of women and girls in Israel, and the ways organizations and communities are working together to provide emergency support. The program will also feature an update on the newly created Civil Commission of Oct. 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children.
Featured speakers include: Dr. Cochav Elkayam Levy, Head of the Civil Commission of Oct. 7 Crimes By Hamas Against Women and Children, and Chair of the Institute for Gender and Sustainability Studies; Tal Hochman, Director of Policy & Government Relations at Israel Women's Network; Shirin Abu Amar Alkrinawi, Attorney at Itach Ma'aki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice. Register here.
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First we share two more op-ed pieces published by participants in Jofa and JOFA Australia's Op-Ed Writing Workshop, sponsored by Yeshivat Maharat.
Please mark your calendars and watch for info and registration to be shared soon for the next Op-Ed Writing Workshop, scheduled for Tuesdays, February 13 and 20, 2024.
Here we share more women's perspectives published in the past week:
| Staying Strong and Hopeful for Israel | Each week, we continue to share, update, and expand these suggested ways to stay up to date, active, and engaged with what is happening in Israel and how we can help. We hope that each week you will find something that speaks to you, and helps you stay connected, through tangible efforts to bring hope, strength, and support to Am Yisrael, both in Israel, around the world, and in your own home and community. We hope that these ideas will increase and magnify our collective efforts. | |
Combat Antisemitism: In the public sphere, and particularly on college campuses, antisemitism has become a central part of the challenges we are facing. Here are some resources for learning more and advocating on these vital issues:
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Keep Advocating: Keep calling, writing, and emailing, to urge America’s leaders to stand with Israel! We must continue making our pro-Israel voices heard by calling our elected officials to make it clear that we stand with our ally Israel against Hamas terrorism.
Use the Jewish Federations of North America's callforisrael.org calling system, to easily make these calls. It is also effective to write personal letters in your own words. Find the contact information for your members of the House and the Senate, or send a quick email to your elected officials, via the American Jewish Committee.
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Spread Awareness of the Hostages and Their Families: Visit listentomoms.net, a U.S.-based initiative uniting diverse mothers to share their stories and advocate for the release of hostages being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. See and share powerful videos; email the United Nations and members of Congress; learn about the captives, and more. Each of these hostages, including young children, is dearly loved and cherished by their families. Innate human compassion drives us to care deeply about their safety and well-being.
Through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum's BringThemHomeNow website, you can also contact your elected officials and purchase wristbands, to help raise international awareness and support this volunteer-driven effort to return all of the innocent civilian hostages back home to their families and loved ones.
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Engage in Comforting, Connective Rituals: Weekly rituals like baking challah and lighting Shabbat candles, with friends, family, or community, are powerful ways to connect and comfort each other. Think of people you know with lone soldiers or loved ones in Israel that they are concerned about. Bake together, or bring them challahs for Shabbat.
You can print these special candle lighting prayers to join with Jewish women around the world in finding extra purpose and meaning in lighting Shabbat candles, and reciting special prayers for the captives, the injured, the IDF, our families, and the entire Jewish people.
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Stay Informed: It remains as vital as ever to arm ourselves with reputable sources, to stay informed of news, developments, and analyses, so that we can keep advocating and reinforcing our message effectively. Here are some suggested sources that include coverage, analysis, and firsthand accounts:
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Help Meet the Needs: The needs on the ground in Israel remain significant, but we can each help in our own ways -- from volunteering and raising funds, to donating for meals, trauma treatment, caregiving, displaced families, IDF supplies, and much more.
We can each support these needs by contributing to any of the many grassroots, local, national, and international organizations and fundraising efforts that are delivering an incredible amount of direct and specific goods and services -- including your community's Jewish Federation, as well as the following options:
We are also highlighting organizations that specialize in helping women and girls, such as these:
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Keep Reaching Out: Everyone in Israel is deeply affected by what is happening. Anyone you are connected with in Israel, or anyone in the diaspora who has family and/or friends in Israel, or has loved ones serving in the IDF, will appreciate you reaching out and checking in. Even when there are no adequate words, it is still meaningful to express that you care and that they are not alone. We are all touched personally by what is happening, and it weighs on our hearts and minds. A phone call, email, or message can go a long way. A small kindness can make such a difference.
Here are a few mental health and wellness resources that can help you or those you care about:
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Talk with the Kids in Your Life: Discussing with children of all ages what is happening in Israel is delicate and challenging for families, caregivers, educators, spiritual leaders, youth leaders, and more. We continue to share and add to our list of resources to help navigate this:
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Gather for Inspiration, Unity, Prayer, Learning, or Song: Week after week, communities keep thinking of new, creative, meaningful ways to gather -- over Shabbat and throughout the week; at synagogues, schools, and JCCs; writing cards, making pictures, and sending treats to show IDF soldiers that we care; joining in multifaith programs; hearing speakers share firsthand accounts from Israel; setting public empty Shabbat tables, or setting aside seats in shul for the hostages.
Any and every Shabbat can be Israel solidarity Shabbat in your community or congregation, with Tehillim, prayers, and melodies for Israel, including: the Prayer for the State of Israel, Prayer for Tzahal, Prayer for the Safe Return of Hostages. Include in your tefillot the names of soldiers and hostages; some shuls pass around lists of names.
Say your own personal prayers; insert your own prayers during tefillah. Take a moment to thank G-d for protecting and watching over us, and those who safeguard our homeland, and who are in harm's way. Now more than ever, tefillah can offer us strength and comfort.
A melaveh malkah or kumsitz can also be meaningful ways to channel our feelings through the emotional outlet of music. Try this Spotify playlist, Music to Give You Comfort and Strength, too.
| Divrei Torah by Women on Parshat Miketz | |
Jews around the world are reading and studying Parshat Miketz this week. Here are a few divrei Torah by women on this week's parsha:
| Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach | |
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